Black Tusk
Black Tusk are a sludge metal band residing in Savannah, Georgia. Formed in 2005 by the trio of James May, Andrew Fidler and Jonathon Athon (All of which from previous bands and living on the same street) the band established a murky, chaotic mix of sludge metal, crust punk and doom with all three members sharing vocal duties. The band gained notoriety with two albums upon signing to Relapse (2010's Taste The Sin and 2011's Set The Dial) and refined themselves as a reputable act in the Georgia sludge scene, notable for their intense and energetic live performances.The Heavy Chronicles The band often referred to their music as "Swamp Metal" which was a name that according to the band was "just something that came out" and inspired by the humid climate the band originates from.Guitar World Initially a trio for most of their career the band has since evolved into a quartet as of 2018 with the addition of second guitarist Chris Adams. To date Black Tusk have released five studio albums among a host of other releases. Black Tusk have also had their work used in CSI: New York and by Scion/Toyota, and Nike in collaboration with RZA. History Passage Through Purgatory: Formation and Hyperrealist (2005 - 2009) Black Tusk formed in 2005 by the trio of James May, Andrew Fidler and Jonathon Athon, all of whom were living on the same street and moving on from previous punk bands who "all broke up around the same time".Horns Up Rocks on YouTubeNo Clean Singing The trio would quickly compose their debut EP in When Kingdoms Fall the same year of forming. With a demo following in 2006 featuring art by John Dyer Baizley, Black Tusk would tour Florida as direct support for Baroness that year, followed by another short tour alongside Whiskeydick. That same year the band would be recording at The Jam Room with Philip Cope (Kylesa) but be forced to release this EP independently due to legal issues. The Fallen Kingdom on 28 July 2007, with a release party being held at The Jinx (Performing with Withered and Skeletonwitch.).Connect Savannah Following more touring the band would work with Cope again at The Jam Room, signing to Hyperrealist. Black Tusk would release their debut album Passage Through Purgatory on 5 February 2008 to positive acclaim at the timeSputnik Music and retroactively.Exclaim!Pure Grain Audio The band would tour with the likes of Weedeater and Valient Thorr through the year of 2008, following with the Southern Discomfort tour the next year and further touring all over the United States, performing with the likes of Irata, Stinking Lizaveta, Rotor, Black Cobra and Dark Castle among others.Last.fm Taste The Sin and Set The Dial: Signing to Relapse (2010 - 2014) On 24 November 2009 it would be announced that Black Tusk had signed with Relapse Records, with a studio album set for the Spring of 2010. Prior to this signing the band had been involved with three different split releases all throughout 2009.Lambgoat Leading up to the release of this debut album Black Tusk would tour extensively throughout the United States, sharing the stage with the likes of Skeletonwitch, Howl, Iron Age, Struck By Lightning, Weedeater, The Gates of Slumber and Pentagram among others in a timeline between late February and late May, around when this album would be released.Last.fmLast.fm The band would also make notable appearances at SXSW and Scion RockFest around this time. Taste The Sin would see release on 25 May 2010 while the band was on tour with Pentagram, with recording for the album taking place in January.Lambgoat Set The Dial would see positive reception from a wide range of critics such as PunkNews,PunkNews Sputnik Music,Sputnik Music No Rip CordNo Rip Cord and PitchforkPitchfork to name a few. With gaining momentum and already having been on the road for three months the relentless touring would now continue in support of this album, with frequent touring alongside the likes of Zoroaster, Fu Manchu and Crowbar throughout the rest of 2010. Also of note that November would see their song "The Takeoff" remixed by Wu-Tang Clan member RZA for the RZA Vs. Nike 6.0 video series.Lambgoat At the end of November it would be announced, just two months after a fall tour with Crowbar, that Black Tusk would begin 2011 touring Europe for the first time in a co-headlining bill with Howl.Lambgoat Along with a reissue of Passage Through Purgatory via RelapseLambgoat work would begin on a follow-up, recording that June with Jack Endino.Lambgoat Described as "a little less thrashy, a little slower and a lot heavier" and and album the band felt really good about,Exclaim! Set The Dial saw release via Relapse Records on 25 October 2011, gaining positive reception from several publications such as Invisible Oranges,Invisible Oranges Stereogum,Stereogum PunkNewsPunknews and NPRNPR just to name a few. Black Tusk would perform through the remainder of the year in North America alongside the likes of Mastodon, Thou, Coliseum, MonstrO and many others.Last.fm In an interview with No Clean Singing, drummer James May talks about the varying sounds and themes between albums: Throughout 2012 Black Tusk would hit the road as relentless as ever to further support Set The Dial, beginning the year with a tour in March surrounding SXSW with a wide range of heavy bands, quickly following with an extensive European tour that April and May, largely on the road with Red Fang and making notable appearances at Roadburn Festival and the inaugural DesertFest Berlin.Last.fm Black Tusk would return to the United States for a series of tours with the likes of Down, haarp and Municipal Waste. One more tour of Europe with Okkultokrati, a headlining tour of the States and a final Fall tour would round out a productive year for the band as work began on their next studio release. Recording at The Jam Room with Philip Cope through FebruaryLambgoat and MarchLambgoat before touring with Today Is The Day and Kvelertak that Spring,Last.fm Tend No Wounds would see release on 19 July 2013 as a bridging gap between Set The Dial and their next album. Tend No Wounds on it's own regards would gain mixed reviews, ranging from highly positive such as BlabbermouthBlabbermouth and Exclaim!Exclaim! to relatively average such as Metal Injection,Metal Injection Punk Rock TheoryPunk Rock Theory and Dead Rhetoric.Dead Rhetoric Black Tusk would support Tend No Wounds by touring Europe with Fight Amp and North America with Inter Arma. 2014 would see the band recording two songs in Brooklyn with Sanford Parker, leading to the release of the 7" EP known as Vulture's Eye on 24 June.Lambgoat The band notably appeared at Mexico's Acheron D-Fest and SXSW before an extensive European tour with Toxic Holocaust, which included appearances at Inferno Festival and Hellfest.Last.fm Lastly the band would return home for Southern Darkness Fest at The Orpheum in Tampa Bay but unknown to the band at the time would be the last known performance of the original lineup. Touring slowed to begin work on the band's fourth album, recorded by Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust) at Cloud City Studios in Portland, Oregon circa October 2014.Lambgoat On 9 November 2014 Jonathan Athon would be in a motorcycle accident with his girlfriend in downtown Savannah, crashing into the driver's side of an Acura SUV. While his girlfriend and the two people in the SUV suffered minor injuries it had been unfortunately revealed that Athon was in critical condition and placed into a medically induced coma.Lambgoat Sadly, Jonathon Athon would pass away that evening from his injuries due to irreparable brain damage with life supports taken off and his organs donated. Athon was 32 years old.Lambgoat A memorial would be held of Athon on 15 November with memorial funds to help for the other three people involved in the accident to help their medical costs.LambgoatLambgoat Prior to Athon's death the band had announced a tour of Europe supporting Crobot and Black Label Society. The band was devastated by the loss of Athon and were even contemplating breaking up at one point. However they chose to keep going while recruiting a new bassist in Corey Barhorst (Kylesa, Niche) who was a longtime friend of the band, even appearing at the band's first show.Under The Radar On 10 December the band would officially announce they were going to carry on with Barhorst as the new bassist: Pillars of Ash and TCBT (2015 - Present) Black Tusk would spend most of February and March on the road with Crobot and Black Label Society and returning to the continent in August, with short tours in between through May and July.Last.fm A fall tour with Lazer/wulf and Wrong would follow while closing out the year back in Europe alongside Bask and High on Fire, the latter touring in support of Luminiferous.Last.fm On 29 November 2015 Black Tusk would premiere a new song in "God's On Vacation" and announce their fourth album, recorded in 2014 and the final recordings to feature Jonathon Athon.Lambgoat Another new song in "Born of Strife" would follow on 14 DecemberLambgoat while "Desolation of Endless Times" would be unveiled on 12 January.Lambgoat Pillars of Ash would see release via Relapse Records on 29 January 2016.The Obelisk Pillars of Ash would prove to be the band's most praised and accomplished release to date, garnering a score of 80 on MetaCritic to scratch the surface.MetaCritic In regards to reviews Pillars of Ash would see positive reception from the likes of Pitchfork,Pitchfork Consequence of Sound,Consequence of Sound PopMatters,PopMatters Vice,Vice Exclaim!Exclaim! and Treble ZineTreble Zine just to name a few. Black Tusk would immediately tour North America in support of Pillars of Ash alongside Royal Thunder and Bask, followed by a Spring tour with Holy Grail. To further support Pillars of Ash, Black Tusk would tour Australia and New Zealand for the first time before embarking on an extensive tour of Europe. The band would take some time off in 2017 to begin work on their next album. On 14 March 2018 it would be announced that Black Tusk had signed a worldwide deal with Season of Mist, describing the new deal as having "opened a new chapter".BlabbermouthLambgoat The band's fifth album (And first with Barhorst on bass and vocals) would be produced by the band and Aphelion, while engineered by Chris Adams (Dead Yet?) and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. Further details would be announced on 23 May along with a new song in "Agali"Lambgoat while more songs would be premiered leading up to this fifth album's release such as "Burn The Stars",Lambgoat "Scalped"Lambgoat and "Closed Eye".Lambgoat T.C.B.T. (Taking Care of Black Tusk) would be released on 17 August 2018, attaining positive reception from the likes of Metal Injection,Metal Injection Everything Is Noise,Everything Is Noise The Sludgelord,The Sludgelord Metal TempleMetal Temple and Ghost Cult MagazineGhost Cult Magazine among others. In an interview with Revolver, Andrew Fidler would speak about the album's recording process and channeling grief and loss of friends to cancer in the process of writing T.C.B.T.: Black Tusk would begin touring behind T.C.B.T. that August which would include appearances at Heavy MTN Festival, RPM Fest and Stoned Meadow of Doom Fest, followed by participating in the Metal Alliance Tour that Fall. Notably Chris Adams would join the band as a second guitarist. Further touring in support of T.C.B.T. took place through 2019, beginning with a tour of Europe that included appearances at DesertFest Berlin and Desertfest London, followed by short tours of North America and an appearance at Clairvoyance. A new song in "Gallows Hill" would be revealed as part of the Savannah True Crime Compilation.Lambgoat Black Tusk would begin 2020 touring with All Hell and announcing that they would appear at the eleventh annual Muddy Roots Music Festival. Discography Studio Albums * Passage Through Purgatory (2008, Hyperrealist) * Taste The Sin (2010, Relapse) * Set The Dial (2011, Relapse) * Pillars of Ash (2016, Relapse) * TCBT (2018, Season of Mist) Splits * The Holy Mountain / Black Tusk (Split with The Holy Mountain) (2009, No Idea!) * Low Country (Split with ASG) (2009, Hyperrealist) * Black Tusk & Fight Amp (Split with Fight Amp) (2009, Brutal Panda) * Black Tusk / Dead Yet? (Split with Dead Yet?) (2012, Hyperrealist) * Label Showcase - Relapse Records (Split with Exhumed, Revocation, Tombs and Royal Thunder) (2012, Scion Audio/Visual) Other Releases * When Kingdoms Fall (EP) (2005, Wrecked Signal) * 2006 Demo (Demo) (2006, Independent) * The Fallen Kingdom (EP) (2007, Independent) * Tend No Wounds (EP) (2013, Relapse) * Vulture's Eye (EP) (2014, Relapse / Hyperrealist) * Seeing Visions (Single) (2016, Relapse / New Noise Magazine) Members * James May - Drums, Vocals (2005 - Present) * Andrew Fidler - Guitar, Vocals (2005 - Present) * Corey Barhorst - Bass, Vocals (2014 - Present) * Chris Adams - Guitar (2018 - Present) * Jonathan Athon - Bass, Vocals (2005 - 2014) (Died 2014) List of Known Tours *'Black Dick Tour 2006' (With Whiskeydick) (2006)Black Tusk Myspace *'Florida Tour 2006' (With Baroness) (2006)Black Tusk Myspace *'Passage Through Purgatory Tour' (2007)Black Tusk Myspace *'March 2008 North American Tour' (With Weedeater) (2008) *'October 2008 North American Tour' (With Valiant Thorr) (2008)Last.fm *'Southern Discomfort' (With Kylesa, Skeletonwitch) (2009)Lambgoat *'Fall 2009 North American Tour' (With Black Cobra) (2009)LambgoatLast.fm *'February 2010 Mini-Tour' (With Howl, Iron Age, Skeletonwitch) (2010)Lambgoat *'Nine-Toe Tour' (With Weedeater, The Gates of Slumber, Struck By Lightning) (2010)Lambgoat *'Pentagram's May 2010 Tour' (With Pentagram) (2010)Lambgoat *'June/July 2010 North American Tour' (With Zoroaster, Dark Castle) (2010)Lambgoat *'Summer 2010 North American Tour' (With Fu Manchu) (2010)Lambgoat *'Fall 2010 North American Tour' (With Crowbar) (2010)Lambgoat *'2011 European Tour' (With Howl) (2011)Lambgoat *'Set The Dial North American Tour' (Select dates with Mastodon, Thou, MonstrO) (2011)Lambgoat *'2012 North American Tour' (With East of The Wall) (2012)LambgoatLast.fm *'2012 European Tour' (With Red Fang, East of The Wall) (2012)LambgoatLast.fm *'May 2012 North American Mini=Tour' (With Down, haarp) (2012)Last.fm *'The Fatal Feast North American Tour' (With Municipal Waste) (2012)Lambgoat *'2012 European Tour' (With Okkultokrati) (2012)Lambgoat *'October 2012 North American Tour' (2012)Lambgoat *'Fall 2012 North American Tour' (With Red Fang; Lord Dying, Indian Handcrafts on select dates) (2012)Lambgoat *'2013 North American Tour' (With Today Is The Day, KEN Mode, Fight Amp) (2013)Lambgoat *'Meir Tour - North America 2013' (With Kvelertak, Cancer Bats) (2013)Lambgoat *'Tend No Wounds European Tour' (With Fight Amp) (2013)Lambgoat *'Tend No Wounds North American Tour' (With Inter Arma) (2013)Lambgoat *'2014 European Tour' (With Toxic Holocaust, Downfall of Gaia) (2014)Lambgoat *'Spring 2015 European Tour' (With Black Label Society, Crobot) (2015)Lambgoat *'Summer 2015 Mini-Tours' (2015)Lambgoat *'Summer 2015 European Tour' (2015)Lambgoat *'Fall 2015 North American Tour' (With Lazer/Wulf, Wrong) (2015)Lambgoat *'Luminiferous European Tour' (With High on Fire, Bask) (2015)Lambgoat *'Pillars of Ash North American Tour' (With Royal Thunder, Bask) (2016)Lambgoat *'Pillars of Ash North American Tour' (With Holy Grail) (2016)Lambgoat *'Pillars of Ash Australia/New Zealand Tour' (2016)Last.fm *'Pillars of Ash European Tour' (With Red Apollo, Hark, Herder depending on dates) (2016)Lambgoat *'TCBT North American Tour' (With Whores., White Nails) (2018)Lambgoat *'Metal Alliance Tour 2018' (With Goatwhore, The Casualties, The Great American Ghost, Gozu, Moretheron) (2018)Lambgoat *'TCBT European Tour' (2019)Black Tusk Facebook *'Weekend With Black Tusk' (2019)Black Tusk Facebook *'South East 2019' (With Cloak; Partially Canceled) (2019)Black Tusk Facebook *'East Coast Tour November 2019' (With Child Bite) (2019)Black Tusk Facebook *'2020 North American Tour' (With All Hell) (2020) External Links Official Links *Black Tusk Myspace *Black Tusk Instagram *Black Tusk Bandcamp *Black Tusk Facebook Archival Links *Black Tusk signs to Relapse *Andrew Fidler breaks foot *2013 interview with Fidler via The Sludgelord *2012 Interview with Athon via The Age of Metal *2013 Interview with May via Noise Creep *2013 Interview with Fidler via Ghost Cult Magazine *2018 interview with Fidler via Heavy Music HQ *2019 Interview with Barhorst and Fidler via Doomed and Stoned *2013 Interview with Fidler via The Sleeping Shaman *2015 Interview with the whole band via Connect Savannah References Category:Band Category:Savannah Category:Georgia Category:USA Category:Sludge Metal Category:Stoner Metal Category:Thrash Metal Category:Hardcore Punk Category:Relapse Records Category:Season of Mist Category:Hyperrealist Category:Black Tusk Category:Crust Punk Category:2005